Key dates in the life of anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela, a global symbol of resistance against injustice who brought an end to the much-despised apartheid regime in South Africa and served as the country's first black president, died on Thursday at his home in Johannesburg following a lengthy illness. He was 95.

Here are the key dates in the life of Nelson Mandela.

July 18, 1918: Born into Thembu royal family in Mvezo village in southeastern South Africa.

1940: Expelled from Fort Hare University College for participating in a student strike.

1941: Moves to Johannesburg, becomes policeman at a mine.

1943: Joins the African National Congress (ANC).

1944: Marries Evelyn Mase, a trainee nurse.

1952: Opens the first black law practice in Johannesburg with Oliver Tambo.

December 5, 1956: Is among 156 political activists arrested and charged with treason.

April 19, 2009: Makes his final political address in a recorded message at an ANC election rally.

July 11, 2010: Appears at the closing ceremony of the Football World Cup in South Africa.

January 28, 2011: Discharged from hospital after two days of treatment for an acute respiratory infection.

May 23, 2011: Moves to his village home in Qunu.

December 8, 2012: Admitted to hospital in Pretoria to be treated for a lung infection and gall stones.

December 26, 2012: Mandela is discharged from hospital.

January 6, 2013: Doctors say Mandela has "recovered" although he continues to receive care at his home in Johannesburg.

March 9, 2013: Admitted overnight to a Pretoria hospital for a "scheduled medical check-up". Discharged the following day after "successful" tests.

March 27, 2013: Mandela is readmitted to hospital for a recurring lung infection which doctors say is pneumonia.

June 8, 2013: Mandela is readmitted to hospital with a renewed lung infection and is in a "serious but stable condition", the presidency says.

June 22: The presidency says the icon remains in a "serious but stable condition in hospital", as the US news channel CBS says that Mandela is "unresponsive" and "has not opened his eyes for days".

June 23: Mandela's condition appears to have worsened. The presidency says Mandela has been in a critical condition "over the past 24 hours".

June 25: Close family of Mandela gather at his rural homestead in Qunu.

June 26: Mandela is on life support, an elder in Mandela's clan, Napilisi Mandela, says. President Zuma cancels a trip to Mozambique. UN leader Ban Ki-moon says that the whole world is praying for Mandela, "one of the giants of the 20th century". Court documents filed that evening claim Mandela is in a "vegetative state" and that Mandela's doctors advised his family to turn off his life support machine, citing his perilous health.

June 27: There is relief as Zuma says that the condition of Mandela had improved overnight. He remains critical but stable. His daughter Makaziwe Mandela says his condition is "very critical" and "anything is imminent".

June 30: Visiting US President Barack Obama goes to Robben Island and visits the cell where Mandela spent 18 years as a political prisoner. A day earlier Obama had hailed him as "an inspiration to the world" and met members of his family.

July 5, 2013: Mandela's doctors have rejected the idea of turning off life support unless he suffers massive organ failure, a close family friend says.

July 10: The presidency reports that Mandela is "responding to treatment."

July 18: Mandela spends his 95th birthday in hospital, his health is said to be "steadily improving."

August 24, 2013: The South African government says Mandela's health is unstable at times but he has shown "great resilience" and his condition tends to stabilise as a result of medical interventions."

August 31: The presidency denies reports Mandela has been discharged from hospital.

September 1, 2013: Mandela is discharged from hospital and is moved to his Johannesburg home, where he will continue to receive intensive medical care. He "remains critical and is at times unstable" the presidency said.

December 5: President Jacob Zuma announces the death of Mandela, aged 95.